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Hi Mark,
to start with I own a classic 15 and a UC22 the real #1 UC22 both with AN/SC.
To make a long story short, the classic 15 was my first step to large aperture moving from a meade LX200 8'.
It was a revolution. But the fever was there and I decided to go beyond. I wanted something that would be the largest to feat in an Audi A6 avant. UC18 was too small from my 15 so I wrote Dave to warn me if there was something bigger ready to ship and I ordered the very first UC22 with something special: no foldable side bearings.
The scope moves for a one hour drive to "le Perche" south west of Paris where the sky is rural dark. I would never have been able to do so with a classic one.
I set it up alone in one hour including collimation. The UTA installation is the most sensible one cause you have to do it on top of your step ladder and you have to screw. Once you're done with two screws that's ok.
I can compare the pro and cons of the two concepts as seen from my experience.
Classic 15 it a lot smoother to move than the UC22, no discussion, the side bearings are narrower but I have AN/SC and it is not a real issue for me.
Regarding what I have read in this topic about the cable for the alt drive, as long as you take care of keeping the right tension on this cable when you unlock, the cable stays in place. The few times it got out I succeeded in restoring nominal installation in a few minutes alone. So not a big deal either.
True that there is a side move of the rocker on the UC22 that you don't have with the classic (thanks to the mirror box) but it generates no issue at all either optically or for pointing at least for me.
Regarding collimation, there is a real difference between UC18 6 truss tubes only and the UC22 8 truss tubes construction. The way the truss tubes are screwed on the UC22 is very good, you have not doubt that there are in the right position and tightly fixed. I personally have numbered them to be sure to screw the same tubes at the same place each time. The UC18 weak point is that the UTA is supported on three points only and the focuser is not supported closely with one on this three points. As a consequence you have more flexure of the single ring UTA. The UC22 has 4 support points for the UTA and the focuser sits very close on top of one support points. Frankly speeking I have had no more issue regarding the collimation that with the UC15 and I am a maniac. Moreover the mirror cell includes a clever improvement ie the two collimation screws bar is at the bottom when the scope is looking down. This choice combined with the natural flexion of the truss tube compensates the natural collimation shift that is observed with altitude in a dobsonian ()
Altogether, I am extremely pleased with the UC22. Yes it is not perfect, I made some improvements for the mirror box with a dismountable mirror box to better protect from light as well as adding a laminar air flow to cool the mirror above as well as light shield for the UTA but these are minor improvements compared to the initial design. Every year I participate to a star party in "le massif central" with several hundreds of astronomy amateurs, and I can compare the queue to have a look at the eyepiece in my scope with others of same aperture, guess what... either on Jupiter on the veil or M51 or M13, the views are just top, stars are crisp (focuser with built in paracorr).
I could never have such an aperture and load it in my car if not a UC22.
Hope this helps,
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